(CNN) – Three key Republican senators said Monday they oppose a proposal by Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Connecticut, to arm rebels in Libya fighting Moammar Gadhafi. They had mixed thoughts on whether the United States should be involved in imposing a no-fly zone in that country to protect protestors from attacks by Libyan war planes.

“I would not suggest either of those courses for the moment,” said Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana, the top Republican on the Foreign Relations Committee who indicated U.S. involvement could lead to war.FULL POST

Washington (CNN) - House Republican leaders say they will decide by the end of the week how to proceed in defending the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, which bars federal recognition of same-sex marriage.

Both House Speaker John Boehner and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor expressed disappointment that the Obama administration decided to stop defending the law in court and said House Republicans are weighing their options.FULL POST

Washington (CNN) – Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker is getting as assist from national Republicans as he battles state Democrats and organized labor over the right of public employees to collectively bargain.

The Republican Governors Policy Committee, a wing of the Republican Governors Association, will launch a new television ad Tuesday defending Walker's rigid stance on his budget bill. Several labor groups have already run ads attacking Walker.FULL POST

Washington (CNN) – Though the House and Senate are expected to approve a short term bill this week that would avert a government shutdown until at least March 18, the compromise could be only a temporary reprieve in the battle over spending cuts. House GOP leaders Monday showed little willingness to give ground on a longer term deal to fund the government for the rest of the year.

House Republicans are taking a hard line that spending should be rolled back to the 2008 levels.FULL POST

Washington (CNN) - At a closed-door session with governors of both parties Monday, President Obama did little to win over an emboldened group of Republicans who want to block much of his agenda and are seeking greater flexibility in how federal programs are run at the state level.

In public remarks before the White House summit, Obama even granted a major concession in the debate over his health care law by embracing a bipartisan proposal that would allow states to apply for "innovation waivers" beginning in 2014, three years earlier than originally scheduled in the health care reform bill.FULL POST

Capitol Hill (CNN) - What precisely does the high-blood pressure in the oil markets mean for the U.S.? And, uh, where is the U.S. with dependence on foreign oil exactly?

This week's American Sauce gives you a 101 on American oil dependence. (And so as to not be too depressing, we also have a segment on some good news – how violent crime is dropping.) We give you three media forms to choose from:

Washington (CNN) - Responding to fierce criticism of his new health care law, President Obama is now supporting an amendment that would allow states to opt out of key requirements sooner if they can match or come up with a better plan.

"If your state can create a plan that covers as many people as affordably and comprehensively as the Affordable Care Act does without increasing the deficit," Obama said, "you can implement that plan and we'll work with you to do it."